“What Might Happen To My Parents' Insurance?”

NOTE: I didn't post this in the "Failure to Remain" section, because I haven't been charged with anything, and this happened on private property.

Some years ago, I was backing one of my parents' vehicles out of their garage and bumped into another person's vehicle that was behind me, which was sitting in my parents' driveway.

After hitting the vehicle, I got out to look for damage and I don't remember seeing anything. I decided not to tell anyone what happened.

However, from what I've read, even a slight "tap" on a bumper can cause internal damage, which, among other potential effects, may render the bumper less effective in a future accident. Also, I think with any kind of damage involving metal (which I think there might have been, if there was internal damage), there is also the possibility of rust forming.

As such, I would like to inform whoever it was, so that he can get his vehicle checked out.

Since I don't remember whose vehicle it was, I am considering sending emails to various people, hoping that one of them is the owner.

Let's say that one of these people finds damage and reports it to his insurance company. My question is: would the consequence to my parents' insurance simply be an increase in rates or could their plan be cancelled? If an increase in rates, would it be something astronomical?

I am thinking that if my parents' insurance policy requires them to report all accidents, and this accident was technically a "failure to stop", then isn't that serious enough for there to be serious consequences to my parents' insurance? Or, would the insurance company take into consideration the fact that I'm not actually convicted of anything and that my parents had no knowledge of the event and, therefore, not impose very serious consequences?

To provide some context on my parents' current insurance, I think they have a very good rating and I think their rates are fairly low right now. I used to be listed as an occasional driver, including at the time this event occurred, but I live in an apartment now, and therefore I barely use the car and am not listed as a driver on the policy any longer.

Im kinda lost. So the person you hit some years ago never filed a claim with you and now you want to tell them because your worried their car is going to rust or break down soon? If its been some years ...why not just move on?

I admire the good samaritan stuff, but like thats something you should have done right away. like why wait "some years" to tell them, the damage is long done.

Yeah, in this case I'd probably let it go. Not that I'm supporting any form of "hit and run," but realistically, this is WAY too late to do anything, and trying to fix this now is going to cause more problems than it will solve.

If this is several years old and nobody has said anything by now, I really wouldn't worry about it. What ever damage may have been done I'm sure has long since been dealt with. Anyway even if you somehow manage to find the owner of the car, and if that person finds damage, that person will still not be able to make an insurance claim. The accident happened so long ago that there will be no way to prove that any damage found resulted from you hitting the car as so many things could have happened to that car between then and now. Also I'm sure the time limit set out in the insurance contract for the owner to file a claim has long since expired. If I were in your position I would probably just let it go and move on with life worry free.